Category: News

HARRISBURG – A ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was held at the state Capitol in Harrisburg on Wednesday. Venango County Sen. Scott Hutchinson is the prime sponsor of Senate Resolution 494 which commemorates December 7, 2016 as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in Pennsylvania. Speaking at the ceremony, Hutchinson read from his resolution. Members of the Armed Forces in attendance at the ceremony included two Pearl Harbor survivors: Isaac George from New Castle and George Grove from York.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – A judge has rejected a Green Party-backed effort to allow software experts inspect Philadelphia’s election systems for any evidence that hacking affected the result of Pennsylvania’s Nov. 8 presidential election. It is part of a broader effort by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein to recount votes in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. A Friday federal court hearing is scheduled in a separate Green Party request. They say an examination of central voting system software in six counties using different types of paperless electronic voting machines would take two or three days. They’re also seeking a recount of potentially more than 1 million paper ballots in Pennsylvania.

HARRISBURG – The Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection reminded Pennsylvania college football fans to watch out for potential scams now that tickets for bowl games have gone on sale. On Jan. 2, Penn State will play USC in the Rose Bowl. Pitt is to play Dec. 28 in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Northwestern at Yankee Stadium. The Bureau urges consumers to purchase tickets from a reputable seller; never wire-transfer money to individuals you do not know; and consider using a credit card to pay for tickets because you can dispute charges if the tickets are not delivered or turn out to be counterfeit. Consumers also need to be careful when purchasing a travel package. Persons can file a complaint or report illegal activity associated with ticket sales by calling the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-441-2555. Complaints can also be filed online at www.attorneygeneral.gov.

ANNAPOLIS, MD (AP) – Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is proposing legislation for paid sick leave benefits. He says his proposal will balance the needs of Maryland’s employees while not hurting the state’s small businesses. Under the plan, businesses with 50 or more employees will be required to offer paid sick leave of at least 40 hours a year. That would include the ability for employees to roll over a maximum of 40 hours each year. Maryland businesses with fewer than 50 employees that choose to offer paid sick leave will be eligible for tax relief incentives modeled after a recommendation from a bipartisan panel that studied ways to improve Maryland’s business climate. The plan will be proposed in the next legislative session, which begins next month.

HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf has ordered all U.S.and Pennsylvania flags on the Capitol Complex and at all state facilities to fly at half-staff today in honor of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. 2016 marks the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor in which more than 2,400 Americans lost their lives. Flags were lowered to half-staff at sunrise and will remain lowered until sunset. In addition, the front balcony of the Main Capitol Building in Harrisburg will be lit red, white, and blue this evening in honor of the day.

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Ride-sharing company Uber wants PennDOT to delay policy recommendations that govern the testing of driverless cars. Uber, which has been testing the driverless cars in Pittsburgh for weeks, wants PennDOT to wait for legislation to be passed before it attempts to regulate such testing. PennDOT’s proposed guidelines, which were released Tuesday, would let the state access Uber’s data about how driverless cars perform and dictate where they can be tested in some instances. A state Senate bill introduced last month appears to differ from the policies PennDOT is proposing. But any action on such a bill would likely be several months away.

MILLERSVILLE – A former Millersville University student accused of trying to abort his girlfriend’s pregnancy has now been charged with trying to kill her in the process. Lancaster County prosecutors added the attempted homicide charge against 20-year-old Theophilous Washington of Washington, D.C. Washington is awaiting trial on attempted homicide and reckless endangerment charges for attempting to kill the woman’s unborn child and endangering the woman in the process in the October 28 incident. That’s when investigators say he had the woman drink from the bleach-tainted water bottle which caused her to fall ill in her dorm and call 911. The unborn child was not harmed. Washington stated previously that he did not want the woman to have the child. He is in Lancaster County Prison.

CAMP HILL (AP) – A state trooper who acts as the spokesman for most barracks in central Pennsylvania has been charged with drunk driving. Lower Allen Township Police say Trooper Robert Hicks failed a sobriety test and was later determined to have a blood-alcohol level nearly three times the state’s limit for drivers. Hicks was pulled over in Camp Hill, Cumberland County on Nov. 12. Hicks faces a preliminary hearing Jan. 20. State Police spokesman Ryan Tarkowski says Hicks remains employed, but is the subject of an internal investigation.

LANCASTER – All Conestoga Valley High School students will return to classes today after a Friday night garage fire closed the school Monday and Tuesday. While cleanup continues, students will be able to return. A message on the school’s webpage says during this time, flexibility and understanding will be essential. Additionally, lockers will need to be cleaned when students return. They suggest students bring a small trash bag to school on the first day back for their personal belongings. These items should be taken home for cleaning. Make-up plans for days missed will be announced later. Parents can direct any questions to the high school office.

CARLISLE – Carlisle Borough continues its mandatory water restriction. The Longs Gap Road Water Plant is producing water on a very limited basis and continues to depend upon supplemental supply from surrounding water systems. Officials say the water plant went out of service last Thursday after failure of a check valve which led to the reservoir tank to backflow into the facility causing major flooding. Given the significant amount of cleanup and repair, the Borough is pleased with the progress being made. Over the next few days, they will focus on getting more equipment on line to produce additional water and replenish inventory. Customers consume about 3.5 million gallons a day when the plant is fully functional.